ELEMENT 3D

VIDEO COPILOT’SElement 3D plugin, which enables 3D models to be integrated directly into After Effects, is ideal for Design Visualization applications.

Earlier this year I was given the task of developing an approach to pre-visualizing materials used in Solid Concepts 3D printing process. SC wanted to create a web-based sales tool that allowed potential customers to upload 3D models of their products and preview them with various materials and finishes. After some thought, I suggested the best way to do this would be to create a WebGL enabled rendering tool and apply a set of pre-made procedural materials to the customers model in a prelit scene.

Element 3D is an ideal tool to use to demonstrate how openGL could be used for this process. It was incredibly easy to create complex custom materials, apply them to a 3D model, view them in real time in the viewport and render them quickly.

The images shown here took an average of 10- 20 seconds to render in After Effects. The same object in 3DS Max took 15 to 20 minutes in Mental Ray.

Although I’m still experimenting with Element 3D, it has become a permanent tool in my toolbox for product design visualization.

The part shown in the images was provided in .STLformat and converted to Element 3D’s required .OBJ format in 3DS MAX. All the materials shown in these images were created using Element 3D’s shader tools. The scene was composed, lit and rendered in After Effects using Element 3D’s openGL technology.